Tanner Bibee is looking forward to his pitching prowess overshadowing discussion of his eating habits.
Bibee will make his delayed first start of the season on Sunday afternoon when the Cleveland Guardians visit the Kansas City Royals in the finale of a three-game series.
He was slated to be the Opening Day starter on Thursday before a case of acute gastroenteritis scrapped that plan.
Bibee famously declared in the past that he eats food from Chipotle before every start. But it turns out the digestive troubles began before he ever placed an order.
“Sick before I could even think about a bowl!” Bibee said on social media hours after being scratched from the outing.
Bibee elaborated on Saturday, saying: “It was a tough 48 hours, just because of the sickness.”
The now-recovered Bibee was highly disappointed to miss out on making his first career Opening Day start.
“Saying you earned it, you don’t get to reap the benefits, which kind of (stinks),” he said of missing the start. “I feel like going into (Sunday) with a little anger, I think is probably going to be pretty realistic, and I’m trying to harness that to what I’m doing.”
Bibee, a right-hander, recently received a five-year deal plus an option for 2030 after emerging as Cleveland’s best starting pitcher last season, when he struck out 187 in 173 2/3 innings. He went 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA in 31 starts in his second big league season.
Bibee, 26, is 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA in five career starts against the Royals. Kansas City’s Vinnie Pasquantino is 6-for-8 with two homers against Bibee.
A series victory is on the line when these teams meet Sunday after the Royals notched a 4-3 triumph on Saturday.
Kansas City recovered from a 3-1 deficit. Salvador Perez registered his second RBI single of the game in the sixth inning, Maikel Garcia hit a tying homer to start the seventh, and Bobby Witt Jr. laced the tiebreaking double later in the frame.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said he was highly impressed with the homer by Garcia, which hit off the foul pole in left field.
“That was a pretty effortless swing,” Quatraro said. “He’s got that kind of pop. He just reacted and let the barrel work.”
Jonathan India had two hits and a walk in his second game with Kansas City after being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason.
He also had a different view of the game as he made his first major league start as an outfielder.
“I was definitely nervous,” India said. “It’s a big park. I was just playing ball.”
Steven Kwan homered and scored two of Cleveland’s three runs.
The Guardians sustained a blow when star third baseman Jose Ramirez exited after 5 1/2 innings due to a sprained right wrist.
The six-time All-Star was injured while being caught stealing in the third inning as he dove in head first in an awkward manner. Ramirez, 32, initially stayed in the game but was replaced in the bottom of the sixth inning by Gabriel Arias.
“He’s day-to-day,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said of Ramirez. “We all know what that means with Josey. Gonna see how he feels in the morning.
“I think I’m going to have to hold him down to keep him out of there.”
Right-hander Michael Wacha will take the mound for the Royals on Sunday after a strong first campaign for the club.
Wacha, 33, went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA in 29 starts. He fanned 145 in 166 2/3 innings.
Wacha is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in six career starts against the Guardians. Cleveland’s Bo Naylor (2-for-4) and Lane Thomas (1-for-2) each have one homer off Wacha.
–Field Level Media
